Articles and Letters: Articles

Some recent developments may have changed India's thinking about its relations with Pakistan, which were frozen after Pakistan's High Commissioner made the 'mistake' of meeting politicians from Occupied Kashmir. India's Foreign Secretary is arriving in Islamabad today to initiate conciliatory talks on a host of issues that poison Indo-Pak relations.

Under the shadow of neighbouring emerging economic giants - China and India - Pakistan's economy has rarely made news in a decade, or even more, on international circuit. The country's economy, however, is in an interesting phase with key macro and micro economic indicators showing signs of revival following years of gloom.

On the road to Walgett a sign welcomes visitors: "Farming is not a way of life, it keeps everyone alive." But with drought taking a heavy toll on the region, farming has become a battle for survival. The Australian agricultural town - which takes its name from the Aboriginal word meaning the meeting of two rivers - is in the grip of the worst drought in a century, with disillusioned farmers battling to stay afloat.

The first set of estimates of FBR revenue collections during the period, July to February, 2014-15, published last Saturday in the Business Recorder, reveals the makings of a revenue crisis. The growth rate of FBR revenues in the first six months of 2014-15 was already low at less than 14 percent, compared to the target growth rate of 24 percent in the Budget for 2014-15. But the matter of great concern is that in the months of January and February, the growth has plummeted further to below 6 percent. Consequently, the growth rate of FBR revenues for the first eight months of 2014-15 is down to below 12 percent. This is even lower than the nominal growth of 14.5 percent projected of the GDP in 2014-15 by the Government.

Data manipulation has become a standard normal activity for Pakistani governments though, in all fairness, one cannot say that such a practice is limited to Pakistani political leadership - be it civilian or military. Other countries do engage in data manipulation but exhibit greater shrewdness by remaining within the realm of believability.

Most West Bank shops no longer carry the products of six major Israeli food companies, as a boycott triggered by rising Israeli-Palestinian tensions is taking hold, a boycott leader said Sunday. Activists in the Fatah movement of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas announced the boycott plans last month, after Israel halted transfer of vital tax revenues to Abbas' cash-strapped Palestinian Authority. Israel took that step after the Palestinians joined the International Criminal Court to seek war crimes charges against Israel.